OPEN DOOR BIBLE CHURCH, PO BOX 446, WEST OSSIPEE NH 03890 Pastor John Donovan, cell phone 508-380-0471 Pastor Terry Gerlarneau, cell phone 603-455-4399 Web site todbc.org email us at [email protected] Memory verse for May 1 John 4:18-19 (NKJV) 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us. Commentary on Psalms 105 by Chuck Smith Background info by Dr. Jack Hyles PSALM 104 AUTHOR: This Psalm was written by David and will show you how I know that in just a minute. The Story Behind the Psalms This Psalm, is part of a group of Psalms called the "Hallelujah Psalms." Hallelujah means "Praise the Lord." An interesting thing about the word "hallelujah" is that it is the same in every language. These Psalms are divided into three groups—group one ends with hallelujah. In this group are Psalms 104 and 105. Group two begins with hallelujah. This includes Psalms 111 and 112. Group three both begins and ends with hallelujah. Included are Psalms 106, 113,135, and 146 through 150. The Way They Were Used by God's People The Jews would use these as doxology Psalms when they wanted to praise the Lord. They were used at any time. They were much like our songs, "Praise Him, Praise Him, Jesus Our Blessed Redeemer," "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name," etc. In other words, they were general songs of praise used at any occasion the heart leaped with joy. Whoever arranged and ordered the psalms placed Psalm 105 and Psalm 106 together purposefully. “This and the following psalm are companions. They reveal the two sides of the relation between God and His people during a long period. This one sings the Page 1 of 5 song of His faithfulness and power; while the next tells the sad story of repeated failure and rebellion on the part of His people.” (G. Campbell Morgan) The first 15 verses of Psalm 105 are also found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 and presented there as a composition of David, written and sung for the bringing of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. We can therefore conclude that though this psalm is not specifically attributed to King David, he is the author of it. O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk of all of his wondrous works (Psa 105:1-2). Now we are exhorted here to several things. First of all, we are exhorted to give thanks to the Lord. Secondly, we are exhorted to call upon His name. And thirdly, we're exhorted to share the work of God among people. In the first verse, three exhortations: to give thanks, to call upon Him, and to share His truth among people. Then in the second verse, further exhortation: sing unto Him, sing psalms to Him, and talk of all of His wondrous works. God loves you to just talk about Him. In fact, there's a scripture that indicates that God eavesdrops whenever you talk about Him. "And they that love the Lord did speak of Him one to another and God kept a record of it. And they shall be accounted as His jewels in that day when He makes up His treasure" (Malachi 3:16-17). People just talking about the Lord, talk about His wondrous works. And then further exhortations: Glory in his holy name (Psa 105:3): And then rejoice, let the heart of them that seek the LORD rejoice (Psa 105:3). And then we are commanded, Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore (Psa 105:4). And then, Remember his marvelous works that he has done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth (Psa 105:5); So all of these exhortations in five verses. Things that we are to do. So whenever you're just sitting around thinking, "What shall I do?" Turn to Psalm 105, and you'll have a lot of things that you can do. Things that you'll find will be a very great blessing to you, benefit to you, as you follow these exhortations. Page 2 of 5 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is Jehovah our God: his judgments are in all the earth. He has remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac; And confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance (Psa 105:6-11): Now notice the covenant of God has been established with Abraham; He declared it by an oath to Isaac; He confirmed the same to Jacob. So that you wonder about the right of the land of Israel, who it belongs to. By an everlasting covenant God said, swearing to Abraham and to Isaac and confirming it to Jacob, "Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan and the lot of your inheritance." God swore this to them when they were but few in number, very few. In fact, they were strangers in the land when God said, "Look around. As far as you can see to the north, east, south, and west, I've given it to you." And from the top of Bethel God said to Jacob, "Look, Jacob, all around. For I have given you this land." He said the same to Abraham at the same place. When they were just few in number; they were strangers in the land. When they went from one nation to another, and from one kingdom to another people (Psa 105:12-13); They were just sojourners roaming around in the land as nomads, as Bedouins. Taking their tent and pitching it and grazing out an area and then moving on. And yet, the land was all theirs. It had been promised to them by God. And God would allow no man to do them wrong: in fact, he even reproved kings for their sakes (Psa 105:14); Going back to the history of Abraham. How Abimelech the king and the Pharaoh were reproved by God for the sake of Abraham. As God said, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm (Psa 105:15). God protects His anointed and His prophets. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he broke the whole staff of bread. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold as a servant: his feet were hurt with the fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: and the word of the LORD tried him. And the king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him the lord of his house, and the ruler over all of his substance (Psa 105:16-21): And so now the psalmist does what the Israelis always love to do, the rehearsal of their history. Steven in the book of Acts rehearsed the history for the people. Now the psalmist here is rehearsing a part of their glorious history, how that God preserved them when the famine came into the land by sending Joseph ahead of them down into Egypt to prepare the food for them so that they'd have food during the time of the famine. And Page 3 of 5 God made Joseph the lord over the house of the Pharaoh and the ruler of all of his substance. To bind his princes at his pleasure; and to teach his senators wisdom (Psa 105:22). So Joseph was second in command; he could bind the princes of Egypt and he taught the senators wisdom. Israel also came to Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilely with his servants. He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. They showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent the darkness, and they rebelled not against his word. He turned their waters into blood, and he killed their fish. Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings (Psa 105:23-30). Frogs in the king's bed and in the kneading troughs of their dough. He spake, and there came forth divers sorts of flies [all kinds of different flies], and lice in all of their coasts. And he gave them hail for rain, flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also, their fig trees; he broke the trees of their coasts. He spake, and the locusts came, and the caterpillars, and that without number, and they did eat up all the vegetables in their land, and devoured the fruit of the ground. He smote also the firstborn in their land, the chief of their strength. He brought them forth also with silver and gold (Psa 105:31-37): That is, now He brought His people forth with silver and gold, and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Egypt was glad when they departed (Psa 105:37-38): I can imagine..